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(JNS) – A 38-year-old man who ran a website called Our Unique Family about the nine adopted boys he claimed to be raising as Chassidic Jews as a single father is facing charges that he sexually abused his adopted kids and other children.
The man now goes by Chaim Nissim Cohen but was born Jeffrey Lujan Vejil.
The horrible abuse that took place. pic.twitter.com/r0OawwQWJP
— Paper Jesus (@paperyeshua) February 22, 2023
On Feb. 24, prosecutors “outlined a hellish life for the adoptive children” of Chaim Nissim Cohen (née Jeffrey Lujan Vejil), which “conflicted with Cohen’s portrayal of a tight-knit, pious family on social media,” the Houston Chronicle reported. “Each of his court appearances, including Friday’s, has revealed new, alleged layers of deceit.”
The horrible abuse that took place. pic.twitter.com/r0OawwQWJP
— Paper Jesus (@paperyeshua) February 22, 2023
One of the man’s adopted kids discussed the alleged abuse on a Feb. 1 podcast.
The horrible abuse that took place. pic.twitter.com/r0OawwQWJP
— Paper Jesus (@paperyeshua) February 22, 2023
“Cohen has appeared in court in a wheelchair and has claimed that he has a terminal illness,” per the Chronicle. “The state of his health, like many things in his life, has been questioned by prosecutors.”
Fake Chassisic Jew who was “adopting” kids to be put on #tiktok has been arrested for multiple counts. As a note, when someone showed me his account it was obvious wasn’t real. Among other things, wrong rebbe on the wall, payos start at wrong place, they had weird books in their… https://t.co/TEZcH40BaS pic.twitter.com/tZfHqZL04D
— ?????? Lattin (@pesach_lattin) February 28, 2023
Writing on Twitter, one user, who identifies as a rabbi, called Cohen a “fake Chassidic Jew” and said that he was suspicious upon seeing Cohen’s social-media accounts. “Among other things, wrong rebbe on the wall. Payos start at (the) wrong place. They had weird books in their shelves,” wrote Pesach Lattin. “Sad story.”
One TikTok post of Cohen’s that JNS reviewed shows an image of the Lubavitcher Rebbe on a wall, although Cohen and the children appear to dress in a manner that suggests a different Orthodox Chassidic affiliation. Several videos appear to show secular books, alongside religious ones.